Group aims to draw Brazilian investment to Massachusetts

One goal is to dispel notion that the country is only a course of cheap labor and illegal immigration.

By Liz Mineo

A local Brazilian man would like to help change the image of Brazil as a sender of illegal immigrants to Massachusetts.

That's why Sidney Pires took part in a symposium held in Brazil in mid-June that highlighted business opportunities for Brazilian entrepreneurs in Massachusetts.

``We want to bring investors to the United States,'' said Pires, who has lived in Framingham for the past 12 years and became a U.S. citizen in 1996. ``We want to change the image of Brazil as an exporter of cheap labor.''

Pires, who was a Town Meeting member until April, helped organize the symposium that took place in mid-June in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state, the region from where many MetroWest Brazilians hail.

The event was sponsored by a Brazilian company that would like to open the doors to economic opportunities for Brazilians in Massachusetts and for American investors in Minas Gerais.

``There is a huge market for Brazilian entrepreneurs in Massachusetts,'' said Argileu Alves, commercial director of America Connection, which organized the symposium. ``We have many businesses that would like to export Brazilian products to the United States such as granite, crafts and precious stones.''

The large Brazilian community in Massachusetts, estimated between 200,000 and 400,000 people, is an attractive market for Brazilian entrepreneurs, who may need less money to invest in the United States than in Brazil.

``To open a business in Brazil, you need lots of money,'' said Alves. ``To open a small business in the United States, you need $50,000 or $100,000. They can buy franchises, or invest in a gas station, or a churrascaria (Brazilian steak house) here.''

The conference drew the attention of the state's Brazilian press due to the presence of former state Sen. Jarret Barrios of Cambridge and state Rep. Daniel Bosley, D-North Adams, House chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

As the next step, organizers are working on an upcoming symposium in Boston with the presence of politicians and businessmen from Minas Gerais state. Work is under way to secure the participation of Minas Gerais' Governor Aecio Neves and Gov. Deval Patrick, said Pires.

The main challenge would be obtaining visas for the Brazilian businessmen and women from Minas Gerais, said Alves. Because Minas Gerais has a reputation as a sender of illegal immigrants, it's not easy to obtain a visa because U.S. Consulate officers are afraid many of those granted a tourist visa would overstay and join the 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. Still, organizers remain optimistic and hope to bring at least 100 businessmen from Brazil for the September symposium.

``It's very common that the U.S. Consulate denies visas to businessmen just because they're from Minas Gerais,'' said Alves, who was visiting Framingham last week. ``I was lucky I got a visa.''